Sagna backs Jenkinson competition

Back in the side after injury, Bacary Sagna says he hopes his understudy, Carl Jenkinson, continues his progress and says that the competition for the right back spot will drive be good for both players.

Speaking at last night’s press conference, the French international said, “We always have the same battle and that is to fight for the shirt at Arsenal and bring the team to the top.

“I am very happy for him because he did very well. For me it will push me to give the maximum game by game. I have the opportunity now so I will give the maximum.

“If he is playing then I will push him to become one of the best right backs. And that is what he has the potential to be.”

Sagna is also looking a response from the team to ensure we finish top of our Champions League group.

“We are professional footballers and we want to finish first. We want to win the maximum amount of games. This is big challenge now to be the best in the group. But as players we always want to be the best. It would mean we play against a team who finish second in their group.

“But at this stage of the competition every team is good. So we have to keep focused on our team, keep going and keep working hard.”

It will be tough but Schalke have lost their last two home contests with English sides and not scored in three. They went down 2-0 to both Manchester United in the 2010/11 semi-final first leg and Manchester City in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup group stage.

And from the arseblog.. No santos at left back.. Wenger is thinking!! Give walcott some flu meds and play him we need that wide service to the HFB.. Hopefully podolski will also be more influencial considering santos isn’t around to mess in his space.. Frees up the left for him and Carzola.. C.O.Y.G..!!!!

Right back is about the only position we don´t have any worries about at the moment. If only we had the same depth and quality in other positions…

Bac has returned like he´d never been away, and Jenks is just about our most-improved player so far this season. Both play with a competitiveness that several of our key players seem to be lacking (for some strange reason) and cover every blade of grass.

We need to tap into that spirit tonight to get the team back on track. COYG:

If we had the same depth in every position we’d have 11 understudies, improving at a rate of knots, capable of funding a move for Falcao through the merchandise on their bedroom wall’s.
I do love the Corporal.

Sagna is a world class player with a world class attitude and he will push Jenks to become a world class fullback if he have the time to do it.

It`s a shame we cant have that competition and education for all our players.
I think one of the problems we cant is the daft “dont give players over 30 more than one year contracts”.
Someone else will give the player what he wants and he will take his knowledge to that team and teach their youngsters. The squad we have today is experienced but not with the calmness and experience that maturity brings. I think Arteta is our oldest player and he`s 30, thats a weakness in this squad.

Another problem is that Sagna will have one more year left on his contract next summer and how many times will we allow that to happen to our greatest talents and most important players? Sagna will be gone after this season and no one can blame him. I dont doubt for one moment that he loves The Arsenal and us fans but the club is going nowhere fast with no direction and he wont be a part of that. He wants to win, end of.

if the club sells this guy next summer im gonna be so extremely pissed off.

If you want to be a top club you want 8 highly qualified defenders minimum. We have 5 at the most. Sagna, Jenks, Mertesacker, Kos and Gibbs…Vermaelen not so much, maybe we have six, but thats NOT enough width at all…add to that that one of them is injured all the time it leaves us with maybe 3-4…

same goes in attack. We have Giroud as a “real” striker. Other clubs have 3-4, even mid-table clubs have more to choose from. Its crazy.

on attack:in the past-3or4 years ago-arsenal always play and try to create triangle on the field,these TRIANGLES are the secret of the attacking and beautifl play,and you know we were efficient and we scored for fun

BUT NOW, if you pay attention, arsenal create SQUARES and NOT TRIANGLES,thats why we made a lot of sideways and bakward passes,but this is down lack of comminucation and team work or because the players dont understand how to create these triangles.BUT this probleme will be resolved(inshaallah=if the god want)by the time and with games.THANK YOU

“We are professional footballers and we want to finish first. We want to win the maximum amount of games” <— to be fair that's exactly what you'd expect to hear from a player on his way to another club, whether they're doing it for money or not. And to be fair most want both – look at where the best players are and it's where the money and trophies are at. There might be more money in Siberia or Monaco or China but that's the final payday, once the medals are won.

It's the reality of football and we've to a structure and manager that somehow keeps us on the fringes of the top table whilst spending similar amounts to the Sunderlands and Villas of this world. I find it hard to see another manager achieving anywhere near that – this isn't to say that there isn't another manager out there of course. But Wenger can sign better players than most – who else can offer the development Wenger gives players? They can sign a 4yr contract with Liverpool for more money, or serve a 2 or 3 year apprenticeship under Wenger before going to one of Europe's top clubs for even more money. It's sad but true, and any other manager won't be able to offer the same kind of incentive, which to me suggests that the alternatives are unlikely to be an improvement.

it'd be nice to win a cup or two along the way, mind. even the european cup, tainted as it is by the stain of john terry's lips.

[…] rosier, with the manager having two quality right backs vying for the spot and Bacary Sagna has invited the competition. This means the manager will now have more options, and hopefully give both players sufficient […]

[…] Sagna himself spoke about how competition is good and how highly he rates his younger teammate, so let’s keep that in the squad. It’s healthy and positive. And the bottom line is Sagna is one of the good ones, a player who will never give you less than 100%, performs consistently and far more than others has earned a new contract. It’d be a mistake, and a massive shame, if we were to overlook that and allow his Arsenal career to fizzle out in favour of the cheaper option, regardless of how good and promising that option is. […]